Improvement in eye and lung protectors



6. A. GRDFUTT. I Eye and Lung Prutetors. N0.l52,215.Patenteclillune23,1874`.

'UNITED STTES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE A. 'GEOFUTT, vOF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN EVE AND LUNG PROTECTORES.

Specification formn g part of Letters Patent No. 152,215, dated J une23, 1874 5 application tiled February 2, 1874.

To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, GEORGE A. GROEUTT, of the city, county, and State ofNew York, have invented certain Improvements in Eye and Lung Protectors,of which the following is a specification:

This invention comprises certain improvements in the eye and lungprotector for which Letters Patent were issued to nie on the 9th dayofDecember, 1878.

My present invention consists in the combination of a frontal springwith the duplex shell of the protector in such manner that the shell ismade to fit more snugly in its place when in use, thereby moreeftectually shutting off all access of smoke, irritant gases, or thelike, from the eyes of the person using the device. The inventionfurther consists in the construction of the aforesaid shell with elasticeye-piece sockets, whereby the transparent eye-pieces of the protectorare tightly held in place, and whereby the same may be readily insertedin their places, or, when desired, removed therefrom.

F1' g. l is a front view of an eye and lun g protector, made accordingto my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same, as seenfrom the rear; and Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section of the sametaken in the line a: x of Figs. l and 2.

A is a duplex shellthat is to say, a shell in two connected parts-soarranged as to fit snugly about the eyes of the wearer across theforehead and across the nose, as fullyindicated in my patent of December9, 1873, hereinbe` fore mentioned. This shell is preferably made ofsot't or flexible iiidia-rubber molded to the required shape by any ofthe known appropriate methods practiced in the manufacture ofindia-rubber goods. Inserted within this shell during the process ofmaking or shaping the same is a spring, B, the circumferential contourof which is shown in Figs. l and 2. This spring is made of sheet-steel,or equivalent spring metal, and is so shaped that when the protector isapplied to the face the central upper portion a will lie across theforehead, the end portions b will clasp the temples, and thedownwardly-projecting wing-portions c will clasp the sides of the nose.By this means the circumferential parts of the shell are made to fitsnugly against the face, the soft rubber extending in a flange-likemanner beyond the periphery of the spring, and, by being thus kept inclose contact with the face about the eyes, eifectually protects thelatter from access of smoke, hurtful vapors, irritating gases, and thelike, when the protector is used-as, for instance, in burning buildings,in mines, and in localities where noisome vapors, Ste., are present.

Itis, of course, to be understood that the shell A is furnished withtransparent eyepieces C, which admit of unobstructed vision to thewearer of the protector. To permit the insertion of these eye-piecesholes a are provided in the spring B at suitable places therein, and ofa size somewhat greater than that of the eye-pieces themselves. It isimportant that the eye-pieces (l should not only be capable of readyinsertion in place, but that they should be sol closely fitted in theirsockets that nothing hurtful shall pass between them and their bearingsin their sockets to the eyes or portions of the countenance sought to beguard ed by the protector. To this end the soft rubber, projectinginward from the edges of the holes a in the spring B, is shaped toprovide the sockets for the eye-pieces. These sockets comprise each aninner flange, c', against which rests the rear or inner edge of theeye-piece, which it receives, and an elastic roll or bead, f', whichbears against the front edge of such eye-piece, the grooves formedbetween the beads j" and flan ges c receiving and retainingthecircumterential portions oftheeyepieces. rlhese sockets for theeye-pieces are formed during the molding or manufacture of the shell. Inorder to insert the eye-pieces, it is only necessary to press out-wardand downward the beads j", as indicatedby the dotted outline in Eig. 3,place the eye-pieces in position, and allow the beads, by their ownelasticity, to resume their places. The elastic character of theindia-rubber keeps it in close contact with the contiguous periphericalsurfaces of the eye-pieces, and, by thus making the joints between themand their sockets airtight, prevents, as hereiiibefore noted, anyleakage or passage of detrimental matter. The shell A is furnished witha depending curtain, D, provided with an elastic cord, g, or othersuitable means for confining it about the lower part of the face toprotect the mouth and nos trils, and consequently thelungs, from theentrance of smoke, gases, &c., and which cur tain should be moistenedwith Waiter when in use. Furthermore, an elastic strap or a band, 1', ofany suitable material, should be provided to the shell A in such mannerthat, passed around the back of the Wearerls head, it may bring theprotector snugly against the face, and keep it from falling oft'.

That I claim as my invention isl. The combination of the spring B,constructed and operating as described, with the duplex shell A,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The duplex shell A, constructed with elastic sockets grooved for thereception of the transparent eye-pieces G, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

GEO. A. CROFUTT.

litnesses JAMES A. WHITNEY, W. M. EDWARD.

